The Metrics Trap

When we measure something, we change our relationship to it. This observation, often attributed to Goodhart or Campbell, points to a deeper problem than gaming metrics.

The Problem

Most organizations believe that better measurement leads to better outcomes. Yet the evidence suggests otherwise. Teams optimize for what gets measured, regardless of whether it matters.

Early Observations

What if the problem isn’t the metrics themselves, but the assumption that everything worth doing can be measured? Some of the most valuable work happens in spaces that resist quantification.

This is still early thinking. More to explore here.